Sand cleaning and classifying apparatus



Dec. 21, 1943. F. BUSH 2,337,446

I SAND CLEANING AND CLASSIFYIFNG APPARATUS Filed Oct. 6, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I mvmom Le/'qy E 5445b,

A TTORNEK Dec. 21, 1943. 1.. F. BUSH SAND CLEANING AND CLASSIFYING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 6, '1941 INVENTOR; Leroy I E 5445/),

14 TTOPNEK Patented Dec. 21, 1943 SAND CLEANING AND CLASjSIFYING APPARATUS Leroy F. Bush, Edwardsville, Kans. Application October 6, 1941, Serial No. $13,761

6 Claims. ('01. 210-54 The present invention relates to sand cleaning and classifying apparatus, and aims to provide an improved apparatus in which the operation is carried on in a novel manner or by virtue of the original dredging pressure from the pumps, whereby the washing and grading functions are not only accomplished in a more eflicient manner but other economies are likewise effected, such as reduction in head-room required as compared with gravity-flow operation, and saving in power required for conducting the dredge material to the height ordinarily required by such gravity operation.

Accordingly I have devised an apparatus having means for conducting dredge material thereto under the dredge-pumping pressure, and thereafter maintaining the operation of the apparatus under that pressure, for both cleaning and classifying purposes and including a novel valve operation and control for the necessary intermittent discharge of the sand material from the discharge point of the apparatus.

It is also sought to devise an apparatus particularly well adapted for installations employing a plurality of duplicate units in a series arrangement-all as hereinafter more particularly described.

With the foregoing general object in View the invention will now be described by reference to g the accompanying drawings illustrating one practical form of construction for embodiment of the proposed improvements, after which those features and combinations deemed to be novel and patentable will be particularly set forth and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional view illustrating apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view, representing a section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1 (looking upward in the direction of the arrows);

Figure 3 is a sectional plan view, representing a section taken on the line 33 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevation of the top portion of the apparatus, showing the top valve arm and latching means therefor.

Sand washing and classifying devices have heretofore for the most part been of the gravity flow type, using an open inclined flume feeding by gravity to a collecting chamber from which the sand is intermittently discharged by the operation of a float controlled valve actuated by a secondary flow of wash water, and in which cperation the opening of the valve is brought about by a stoppage of said water flow due to the accumulation of the sand 'in the collecting chamber.

The present improved apparatus aims to pro.- Vide a novel construction in which all the opereration is carried out by virtue of the original dredging pressure, thereby eliminating the use of any inclined fiume arrangement and of any secondary water flow, and thus effecting various economies due to various differences in the mode of operation, one characteristic of which is the operation of a float-controlled valve which is normally in its open position for discharging the sand from the collecting chamber, and the closing of said valve by float action in response to stoppage of the water flow through said chamber and until said float action is counteracted by drainage from the float chamber to a point permitting the opposite movement of the float for opening the valve and thereby discharging the collected sand.

Referring to the drawings, the present improved apparatus is illustrated as comprising a collecting casing having an upper cylindrical portion It and a lower downwardly tapered portion I2 adapted to be supported by means of suitable bracket elements l i upon a supporting framework l5 located at the point of operation where the sand is to be collected as it is discharged from an opening H5 at the bottom of the tapered portion l2 of said casing.

The upper end of the cylindrical portion In is formed with an inturned flange it to which is secured by screws 20, or the like, a cap sheet 2! in which is an opening 22 provided with a screen element 24 of suitable mesh. Surmounting the cap sheet 2! and secured thereto by the screws 20 (and additional screws 26) is a casing member 25 forming an intak chamber 26 which is open on its under side and provided with an intake pipe connection 21 for receiving the flow of dredge water from the dredge pump (not shown), and also an outlet pipe connection 28 for the discharge of said water flow from said casing 25.

The under face of the cap sheet 2! is provided with a casing structure 29 forming an auxiliary intake chamber 3!] below the screen element 24 and in communication with the receiving end'of the intake chamber 25, as is clearly shown in Figure 1, and as further illustrated in Figure 2 said casing structure 29 is formed with a volute extension 32 open on its concave side as indicated at '33, whereby the fluid flow leaving the chamber 30 is discharged by centrifugal action from said chamber to the outer portion of the cylindrical casing ID, as represented by the arrows in Figure 2.

The extent to which the intake flow is deflected from the chamber 26 into the chamber 35 may be regulated by a valve 35 hinged at 36 to the receiving end of the casing 25 (see Figure 1) and also provided with an exterior arm or handle 38 adapted for resilient latching engagement with a series of projections or bosses 40, whereby said valvemay be set and retained in any desired adjusted position. means of this valve arrangement more or less of the dredge material may be retained for 'treat-' ment within the unit for cleaning and classify! ing, and the remainder allowed to pass on through for subsequent treatment in one or' more succeeding units where installed in a series, for which arrangement the improved con:

struction is particularly well adapted.

Operating in connection with the discharge opening [6 is, a valve 42 slidingly mounted and retained by means of a nut 43 on the lower end of a red, the upper end of which is attached (as indicated at 45) to the lower face of a hollow float casing comprised of conical, segments '46 attached together at their largest diameters, where the float is secured by a flexible bellows section 48 to the upper margin of a flaring housing .50, any suitable means, such as rings or bands serving to retain the upper and lower edges" of the bellows element in place on said float and housing, as shown in Figure 1.

' The housing 50 is provided with'brackets 49 -for mounting the same upon the supporting iframework l5, and is also formed with a downwardly extending tubular portion 52 of predeterminedlength, to which is connected, as by :bracket elements 53, a relatively smaller tubular element 54 terminating at its lower end slightly above the discharge opening l6, and its'upper end projectingslightly above the upper end of the tubular portion 52. By means of this construction the float is maintained in slightly spaced relation to the housing 59, with which it cooperates to form a float chamber 56, and to .this float chamber (at a suitable overflow level) a discharge or drain pipe 58 is connected and thelatter fitted with a suitable valve member 60 (see Figure'l).

For protecting the float structure a conical shield 62 is attached to the under face of the casing 30 in position for overhanging the float 46 and thus shielding the latter against being unduly affected by wear from the operation taking place inside the upper casing l0. In the operation of the apparatus, the flow of dredge water is received from the pump through the receiving connection 21, and this flow-is of course under the discharge pressure of said pump. A part of the flow as received in thechamber 26 passes on through the outlet connection 28,and the remainder is diverted through the screen. 24, partly into the collecting casing directly and partly into the chamber 30 whence it is discharged centrifugally through the opening 33 into the collecting casing. This produces a vigorous whirling movement and hence an effectivestirring up of all the contents of the mixture comprising the flow drawn in from the pu p:

- --The inrush from the pump (being at a greater rate'than any discharge from the outlet l6) of course-fills the collectingcasing with a liquid flow and hence causes-the float to rise and close the valve 42; however the valve Bil is adjusted to allow some leakage from the float chamber 56, and as the sand gradually settles from the liquid flow and accumulates around and above 5 the discharge opening IS, the sand level finally rises above the lower end of the tube 52 and shuts off the flow of water to the float chamber. Thus the leakage from the float chamber, combined with the weight of the float and valve 42 eventually results in reopening of said valve 42 and consequent discharge of the accumulated sand from the collecting chamber. As this discharge takes place the water at once rushes up through the tube 52 into the float chamber 56 and. again raises the float and thereby recloses the valve 42, so that the operation is repeated in the-same manner as already stated.

The operation therefore comprises a continu ous washing of the sand and an intermittent 2 discharge of the washed sand as it accumulates in the casing I 0-!2, thereby causing intermittent operation of the valve 42 between successive discharge operations. This mode of operation is in contrast to that of some commercial forms of apparatus in which a separate or auxiliary water supply is maintained and utilized for the washing action and also for actuating a float valve for valve-opening rather than for valve-closing purposes. Moreover, the present improved valve operation is both automatic and very certain and definite particularly when set for a distinct and continuous discharge flow; and the valve action may also be regulatcdby the adjustment of the drainage valve 60, the wider opening of which will speed up the sanddischarge' operation by faster drainage of the float chamber 56. Again, the closing of the valve 50 is all that is necessary for shutting down the operation of the apparatus temporarily, as for repairs or the like. As an alternative, the discharge valve 42 may be held closed, as by lifting the same into closed relation to the opening l6 and then simply running the nut 43 up on the thread on the lower end of the valve rod 44, for retaining the valve 42 in its closed position.

The tubular element 54 is designed to be of such size as to serve merely as a suitable housing forthe valve rod 44; on the other hand, the length of the tubular extension 52 is a factor in determining the amount of sand allowed to accumulate in the apparatus before the water is cut oif from the float chamber-which must of course take place before the starting of the valveopening action.

One of the important features of the improvements is the fact that the apparatus operates entirely on the pressure from the dredge line, for effecting the intermittent valve action for discharging the sand as it accumulates. The arrangement istherefore such as to require a minimum of head room, and by installing units of the apparatus in series, the dredge line can be run to any point in the sand yard for producing different grades, and without requiring different elevations for the different portions of the installation as is necessary for equipment depending on a gravity flow from one unit to another. Obviously this effects quite a saving in the power required for elevating the dredge material to the initial level for the start of the said gravity flow of the material. It is of course apparent, however, that the valve operating part of the improved construction could be operated with the former open flume type of installation; as might be desired under some conditions.

The construction is not only efi'ective for the above purposes, but also operates to clean and remove from the sand foreign matter such as sticks, leaves, dirt, etc., as well as to grade and classify the sand.

While I have shown and described one practical form of apparatus for embodying my improvements, I wish to be understood as reserving the right to make such changes or modifications as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters- Patent is:

1. Sand cleaning and classifying apparatus comprising a collecting chamber having an upper intake portion and a bottom discharge opening, a valve for said discharge opening, a float chamber having an inlet passage communicating with said collecting chamber, a float element within said float chamber and connected with said valve and actuated by a rise of the liquid level within said collecting chamber to raise the valve to close said discharge opening, and a separate and independent drain outlet connection from the upper portion of said float chamber to produce settling of said float element to open the valve, said float chamber being in liquid communicating relation with said collecting chamber.

2. Sand cleaning and classifying apparatus comprising a collecting chamber having an upper intake portion and a bottom discharge opening, a valve for said discharge opening, a float chamber having an inlet passage communicating with said collecting chamber, a float element within said float chamber and supporting said valve and actuated by a rise of the liquid level within said collecting chamber to raise the valve to close said discharge opening, and drainage means connected with said float chamber to gradually drain the same for permitting said float element to settle and thereby open said valve.

3. Sand cleaning and classifying apparatus comprising a collecting chamber having an upper intake portion and a bottom discharge opening, a valve for said discharge opening, a float chamber connected with said collecting chamber, a float element connected with said valve and enclosed by said float chamber, an intake for free liquid flow to said float chamber from a predetermined level above said discharge opening whereby said float element is actuated to raise the valve to close said discharge opening in response to said liquid flow entering said intake, and a drain outlet connection from said float chamber to allow settling of said float element to open said valve.

4. Sand cleaning and classifying apparatus comprising a closed collecting chamber having a bottom discharge opening and a dredge pipe line leading from a source of dredge pumping pressure and constituting an intake for liquid flow to the top of said chamber, an exterior valve below said discharge opening, a float chamber connected with said collecting chamber, a float element enclosed by said float chamber and actuated by a rise of said liquid flow within said float chamber to a given level above said discharge opening for raising said valve to close said discharge opening, said float element having an operative lifting connection with said valve, and drainage means connected with said float chamber to gradually drain the same for permitting said float element to settle and thereby open said valve.

5. Sand cleaning and classifying apparatus comprising a collecting chamber having a bottom discharge opening and a dredge pipe line leading from a source of dredge pumping pressure and constituting an intake for liquid flow to the top of said chamber, means for diverting a portion of the dredge material from said pipe line into said collecting chamber and having a volute discharge extension for imparting a centrifugal movement thereto as it enters said chamber, a valve for said discharge opening, and a float element connected with said valve and actuated by a rise of the liquid flow within said chamber to a given level above said discharge opening for correspondingly raising said valve to close said discharge opening.

6. Sand cleaning and classifying apparatus comprising a collecting chamber having a bottom discharge opening, a top casing having dredge pump connections and constituting a passage for a liquid flow of dredge material entering under dredge pumping pressure, a screen partition between said passage and said collecting chamber, an auxiliary intake chamber beneath a portion of said screen partition and having a volute discharge extension for imparting centrifugal movement to the material entering said 001- lecting chamber, a valve for said bottom discharge opening, and a float element connected with said valve and actuated by the movement of the liquid flow within said collecting chamber for controlling the position for said valve.

LEROY F. BUSH. 

